IN BRIEF (Page 2)

Changes at top feed reform speculation

The government has appointed new heads for the three big telecommunications carriers, triggering speculation that a long-awaited shake-up of the sector may be on the way.

Shang Bing, former vice-minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, took over China Mobile Ltd, and Xi Guohua, its former head, is retiring, the company said.

The chairman of China Telecom Corp Ltd, Wang Xiaochu, and the chairman of China Unicom Ltd, Chang Xiaobing, swapped places, the companies said.

Leaders of the three companies, in which the government owns majority stakes, are appointed by the State Council. It is the first time in 11 years that the heads of the three companies have changed at the same time.

The appointments come as the companies' revenue has slumped. The companies attribute the declines to tax policy changes and loss of users in voice and short-messaging services.

Two deported for working illegally

Two foreign English teachers were deported for working illegally in Yangquan, Shanxi province, police said. A woman, 59, from the United States, and a man, 25, from Pakistan, had been teaching English at a training institution. However, the institution was not certified to employ foreign teachers, police said. The pair were arrested in early August and deported on Aug 15.

Massacre victims' relatives sue Japan

Relatives of 77 victims of a massacre and house burning by Japanese troops in 1941 are suing the Japanese government for an apology and compensation. The families, their representatives and lawyers submitted the lawsuits to the high people's court in Zhejiang province seeking compensation of 2 million yuan ($312,000) each. On April 23 and 24, in 1941, Japanese troops set fire to 2,300 homes, killing more than 40 civilians and making 6,000 people homeless in Wenling, Zhejiang.

Abe to miss victory commemoration

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will not attend events in Beijing in September to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, he said on Aug 24.

The decision was described by Chinese analysts as "letting go a good opportunity" for boosting reconciliation on the historical issues as Tokyo tries to ease diplomatic headaches with Beijing and Seoul.

Japan's chief cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga, said the decision was made because of Abe's parliamentary schedule.

Abe is trying to push through controversial legislation giving the Japanese military the authority to fight overseas.

Abe's wife visits Yasukuni Shrine

China again demanded Japan squarely face its aggressive past after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's wife visited the controversial Yasukuni Shrine. Akie Abe wrote on her Facebook page on Aug 25 that she visited the war shrine in Tokyo earlier in the day. The shrine honors 14 Class-A convicted war criminals among 2.5 million Japanese who died in World War II, and is regarded as a symbol of militarism. Japan should make a clean break from militarism and do more that will promote trust and reconciliation with its neighbors, China's Foreign Ministry said.

War commemoration to draw 49 countries

Senior Chinese officials have confirmed that representatives of 49 countries and 30 foreign leaders will attend China's V-J Day celebrations on Sept 3. Seventeen countries will join the morning military parade, with participants from six continents.

Chinese and European analysts pinned high hopes on the message of peace to be delivered because the gathering is representative and the contributions made by the Chinese people to end the war should not be forgotten.

In addition to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Republic of Korea President Park Geun-hye, attending heads of state will include Myanmar President Thein Sein and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Britain will send former justice minister Kenneth Clarke, France will be represented by Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, and the United States will be represented by its ambassador to China.

Abducted cyclist freed after 15 months

A Chinese IT specialist kidnapped 15 months ago during a cycling trip in northwestern Pakistan was rescued from the Taliban splinter group holding him and was expected to return home to Hubei province in a few days.

Hong Xudong, 26, told his mother by phone on Aug 23 that he was in good health after Pakistan's security forces and intelligence agencies rescued him the night before.

Hong had cycled through western China, Nepal and India over 10 months and had planned to complete an Asian tour when he was kidnapped in May last year. Pakistan began a search after his bike was found abandoned by his captors on the roadside.

Bilateral agreement reduces tensions

China has welcomed a deal struck between the Republic of Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea that defused heightened tensions.

China hopes the sides will continue the talks and promote reconciliation and collaboration, push forward the implementation of the agreement and maintain peace and stability on the peninsula, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Aug 25.

Pyongyang expressed its regret over recent injuries sustained by ROK soldiers from a land mine blast and decided to lift the "quasi-state of war" it had declared earlier, a news briefing on Aug 25 was told.

The ROK and DPRK have been at odds recently as they accused each other of carrying out provocations.

Taxi companies await guideline

Taxi companies are awaiting new rules from the Ministry of Transport that will include measures for obtaining cab licenses. Analysts said the government's control of taxi licenses is meant to protect consumers, but a cartel of taxi companies has been taking advantage of current regulations to monopolize the market.

Bank reduces lending rate to ease debts

China's central bank announced that it would lower the benchmark deposit and lending rates by 25 basis points beginning on Aug 26, hoping to further ease companies' debt burdens and curb expanding downward risks.

After the adjustment, the one-year deposit rate for financial institutions fell to 1.75 percent, and the lending rate fell to a record low of 4.6 percent, the People's Bank of China said. It was the fifth drop in interest rates since November. The last one, also of 25 basis points, was on June 28.

The bank also cut the amount of money banks must hold, or the reserve requirement ratio, by 50 basis points for all financial institutions, starting on Aug 26 to ensure sufficient liquidity in banking and keep a stable growth in credit.

The measure is to offset capital outflows, which have risen since the third quarter, economists say.

Prosecutors urged to keep doors open

National prosecutors are required to provide information to litigants and others directly involved in judicial cases when they involve major and sensitive matters, a senior official of the Supreme People's Procuratorate said.

The move is intended to ensure judicial fairness and prevent petitions and mass incidents that can grow out of misunderstandings, said Wan Chun, director of the procuratorate's research department.

The procuratorate has issued a directive telling prosecutors release information on the progress and results for six kinds of major and sensitive cases, Wan said.

Among such cases, he said, are those that relate to a threat to security and social order, such as violent and terrorist crimes; those that may arouse heated public debate, such as sexual abuse and assault of minors; and those that could easily lead to petitions or mass incidents, such as land requisition and demolishing properties.

Regulation reins in stem cell therapy

China is aiming to control the growing practice of stem cell therapy, adopting its first regulation covering the largely controversial medical procedure in terms of safety and efficacy.

All treatments involving stem cells will be considered experimental except for hemopoietic stem cell therapy treating a variety of blood diseases, including leukemia, said the regulation by the National Health and Family Planning Commission.

"Only eligible hospitals can work with stem cells in clinical trials for research, and there must be no fees or advertising," said Zhang Linming, an official in the commission's science and technology department.

The regulation stipulates that only top state-owned hospitals can become eligible after passing special evaluations by health authorities. A list of the authorized hospitals will be made public soon and channels for public reporting of violations will be set up, he said.

70 companies closed after safety inspections

The government has inspected 275 companies dealing with dangerous chemicals in the Tianjin Binhai New Area and closed 70 that have gaps in their safety measures after the deadly blasts on Aug 12, a senior official said.

Zhang Yong, head of the Tianjin Binhai New Area, said inspections are continuing, and that those near residential compounds and schools are priorities.

At Tianjin Port, apart from Ruihai International Logistics, whose warehouse exploded, the other two companies approved to store and transport dangerous chemicals - Tianjin Port Sinochem Dangerous Goods Logistics Co and Tianjin Binhai Logistics Co, both state-run - have been closed, and the substances are being transferred outside the area, said Cao Chunbo, head of the work safety department at Tianjin Binhai New Area.

The blasts, which destroyed a warehouse storing hazardous chemicals, claimed 116 lives, including 65 firefighters and seven policeofficers, and left 60 missing.

S. Africa sends most students to China

South African has dispatched 54 scholarship students to China, the largest contingent ever sent by the country.

"To the students, there is nothing quite like being on your own in a foreign country. This experience might really bring out your independent nature and teach you to be self-reliant," Mduduzi Manana, the deputy minister of higher education and training, said at a ceremony in Pretoria on Aug 24. His department received over 180 applications from students.

"You will experience different styles of education and have access to expertise that is not always available in South Africa," he said, adding that South Africa and China are reaping the benefits of their strategic partnership.

China, Ghana mark 55 years of ties

Chinese and Ghanaians competed in basketball and ping-pong tournaments recently as part of a sporting event to mark 55 years of diplomatic relations between the countries.

The event, held in Accra, was organized by the Ghana-China Friendship Association and was watched by Sun Baohong, the Chinese ambassador to Ghana, as well as Ghanaian Sports Minister Mustapha Ahmed and Minister of Health Alex Segbefia.

Ghana is one of the first sub-Saharan countries to establish diplomatic relations with China. Sun urged both sides to make efforts to expand cultural exchanges and cultivate people-to-people friendship.

Morocco made Beijing book fair debut

Morocco's ministry of culture said the country this year made its debut at the Beijing International Book Fair, Aug 26 to 30.

This moves came as a result of new impetus in the relationship between the ministry and Moroccan publishers, it said.

According to the organizers, this year's event will see 2,270 publishers from 82 countries and regions participate in the fair. This year, 270,000 publications are on display over 66,000 square meters at the China International Exhibition Center.

Senior CPC and DRC officials meet in Beijing

Zhao Leji, a senior official in the Communist Party of China, met with a delegation from the ruling party of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Beijing on Aug 25.

Zhao, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the CPC Central Committee Organization Department, said China has always attached great importance to its friendly ties with the DRC.

He called on the CPC and the People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy of the DRC to further exchange experiences in political governance to boost the development of relations.

Mova Sakanyi, secretary-general of the ruling party, said the DRC is willing to enhance cooperation with China.

China, Togo vow enhanced exchanges

China's top legislator, Zhang Dejiang, met with Dama Dramani, speaker of Togo's National Assembly, on Aug 24 in Beijing.

China-Togo relations have developed smoothly since diplomatic ties were forged 43 years ago, Zhang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, said. Zhang added that the NPC is willing to enhance exchanges with the National Assembly to increase mutual understanding and consolidate mutual trust.

Dramani said the Togolese people have benefited from mutually beneficial cooperation with China, adding that the National Assembly hopes to learn from China's development experience.

Tsinghua biologists solve genetic puzzle

A team of molecular biologists at Tsinghua University has reported a milestone breakthrough in molecular biology and gene expression.

As DNA is no longer a mystery, many scientists have shifted their interest toward the manufacturing process, how the information stored in DNA is delivered to produce proteins with different functions, such as forming a person's skin, organs and hair.

On Aug 23 a scientific team led by Shi Yigong at Tsinghua University's School of Life Sciences reported the structure of a substance called spliceosome, which is crucial in gene expression. Results of the team's analysis on its functioning mechanism were published in the journal Science.

"The structure of the spliceosome represents a much greater challenge than the structure of the ribosome, for which three individuals in the past were awarded the Nobel Prize," Phillip Sharp, a 1993 Nobel Prize winner for physiology or medicine, said in an e-mail to Shi.

Digital forms aim to curb illegal operators

Travel agencies booking group trips to Hong Kong and Macao will be urged to use digital forms for government approval starting on Sept 1, in a move aimed at curbing illegal travel operators in Guangdong province who may cheat mainland tourists.

By the end of this year all outbound tourism in groups will use digital forms only, the China National Tourism Administration said.

(China Daily European Weekly 08/28/2015 page2)